Providing Internet Based Health Information to Underserved Populations a Promotora Model

1
Providing Internet Based Health Information to
Underserved Populations a Promotora Model

• Barbara Hau RN, MS
• La Plaza Telecommunity
• Taos, New Mexico
• bhau_at_laplaza.org
• 505-758-1836

2
Taos County

• Rural Population density 9.8 per Sq Mi
• Median Household Income 24,831
• Tricultural
• 67 Hispanic
• 7 Native American
• 26 Anglo
• 28.2 less than H.S Education

3
La Plaza Telecommunity

• Community Technology Center established in 1994
• Mission To provide rural tri-cultural
  communities with
• Access to information technology resources
• Education in Computer and Internet technology
• A Virtual Library of Community Resources
• Internet Access (ISP) 2200 dial in users
• 4 public access computer centers
• Free or low cost classes in Internet technology
• Local and regional information on website
  www.laplaza.org

4
Diabetes Wellness Connection

• Department of Commerce TIIAP (TOPS)
• Technology Demonstration Project
• Health Category
• 1996-1998

5
Goals

• Provide Internet access to 3 rural clinics
• TaosPicuris Indian Health Center
• PMS Questa Health Center
• HCNNM Penasco Clinic
• Provide Internet training for health care
  providers and consumers
• Provide health content related to diabetes on La
  Plazas Website

6
Access

• Tech assessment (no capacity)
• 12 months to build technical capacity
• Installed phone lines and dial up connection
• Installed computers
• consumers - 1 desktop on roll cart in clinic
  lobby available for public access 10 hrs/week
• Providers - 1 laptop available for check out

7
Website Content

• Focus groups
• POSITIVE Information re diabetes
• Culturally sensitive messages
• Trusted/familiar sources
• Local resources/programs
• Nutrition/diet/recipes
• Exercise information/motivation
• Emotional support

8
Diabetes Wellness Connectionhttp//laplaza.org/he
alth/dwc/

• Links to National Websites
• American Diabetes Association
• Eli Lilly
• Mark Up of Existing Health Education Materials
• Personal Stories Living Well with Diabetes

9
(No Transcript)
10
(No Transcript)
11
(No Transcript)
12
(No Transcript)
13
(No Transcript)
14
(No Transcript)
15
(No Transcript)
16
Promotora ModelCommunity Outreach Trainers

• Native residents of respective communities
• Bilingual (Spanish/Tiwa)
• Strong desire to learn computer and Internet
  skills
• Strong desire to help community members to learn
  skills

17
Train the Trainer Model

• Conducted 6 computer/Internet trainings with
  COTs
• COTs present 10 hours/week at clinic sites
  (lobby) homes, HH agencies
• Logged encounters on Excel spreadsheet
• Submitted monthly Excel reports of client
  encounters

18
Curriculum

• Hardware software (unpack, assemble, set up dial
  up connection)
• Keyboard/Mouse/Windows
• WWW navigation, search, bookmarks
• Email send, receive, address, files, attach
• MS Word
• Excel (logs)

19
(No Transcript)
20
(No Transcript)
21
(No Transcript)
22
Excel Logs

• Date
• Provider/Consumer
• Sex
• Age
• Search/Topic

23
Evaluation Data

• Intervention time - 8 months
• 1835 hours of Internet access for health
  providers and COTs
• Trained 27 health care providers
• COTs provided 297 individual training encounters
  in clinics
• 23,358 website hits

24
Evaluation Data

• 
  pre post
• Seeking health info daily 37 50
• Using computer daily 42 69
• Access health info via
• computer 57
  75
• Access to health info good 44 61
• Comfortable using computer 55 69

25
Lessons Learned

• Perform a technical assessment prior to
  implementing technology based health education
  projects
• Adapt existing health information for website
  content
• COTs effective in introducing Internet based
  health information to peers AND HCP
• Personal stories and culturally appropriate
  health information was most popular
• Internet information interest broader than
  health
• Community members desired participation in
  development of health content

26
Recommendations

• Increase Internet access through wireless
  broadband microwave radios
• Increase pubic access computer sites in Taos
  County - 26
• Continue the COT Model 6 COTs
• Continue to develop locally and culturally
  appropriate information on La Plaza Website

27
Current Health Projects

• Internet a Change agent for Rural Muticultural
  Adults
• NCI 2000-2004
• Partners
• AMC Cancer Research Center, Denver
• University of New Mexico
• Colorado State University
• Determine most effective strategies for training
  rural multicultural adults in using computers and
  Internet technology
• Determine efficacy of website promoting
• increased intake of fruits and vegetables among
  residents of the Upper Rio Grande Valley

28
Current Projects cont.

• CyberYouth Project
• New Mexico Department of Health
• Holy Cross Hospital
• Train at risk youth in
• TUPAC Issues
• Media Literacy
• Website Design
• Create websites addressing TUPAC issues
• World Premier at Taos Talking Picture Film
  Festival, April 2002